Sunday, December 28, 2008

It really was a happy holiday around here. Spending time with family and friends makes it worth all the busy busy of the holiday season. And seeing Little Guy have so much fun, well, I love it! Little Guy's mom said when he saw all the presents on Christmas morning, he said, "Big box!" So cute!

After all the family left this morning, I had a quiet relaxing day at home with Rowan. Here's my "to-do" list for the next few days of vacation.....

I can already cross one thing off the list. It is mostly packaged up now to send home with my great aunt Mimi, but it was quite the delicious recipe! And it was the absolutely only thing I baked (if you could call it that? stirred maybe) all holiday season!

Saturday, December 27, 2008

We're still celebrating the holidays here in the Irishgirlie household. Lil' Guy and his parents are down for the weekend to celebrate! But I did want to share a very special gift that I received this Christmas....

I think the hardest part was waiting to open it...a big box arrived from my dear Disco and I had to wait days until I could open it!! But it was so worth the wait! A book I'm dying to read, handmade coasters, Posh and Beckham!, a picture of two cutie patooties! and more!

And this absolutely gorgeous Rare Gems! Its screaming my name I think!! But even the STR was not the best part....

Look at my new fetchings!! Gorgeous, perfectly blue, fetchings for me! Made for me by Disco!! I practically cried :) Thank you Disco!!

And as a gift to myself, I cast on Jingle Bell Rock Monkeys for me on Christmas Eve. I'm at the heel of the first one, but needed to put them down to cast on a Christmas hat for Lil' Guy.

Hope you all are enjoying your weekend!

Oh, and I couldn't resist this picture...as I am blogging this at 11:40pm, lights out except for the tree, this is the sight I see.... Lil' Guy wide awake, not wanting to go back to sleep.... my brother looks ready though...

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Its been a wonderful holiday so far! Today is the first of my 12-days off from work!! Woo-hoo!! Can anyone say knitting?!!

Let's get started with the giving back yarn contest! Our lucky winners are Darcy, Discoknits, and Courtney!! Congratulations (I've emailed you about your prizes) and thank you to everyone who was able to participate! I'm glad I decided to not destash the yarn and donate the $90 of destash money....instead, combined, we donated over $400!!! Thank you!

Bailey and Puddles wish you a happy Christmas!

I'm spending the night at my dad's tonight, so I can't show you a picture of my Jingle Bell Rock Monkeys that I cast on tonight during Notre Dame's Bowl Game! Its been weeks since I've knit socks for me and this was my little holiday treat to myself! Doesn't mean the holiday knitting is done, but the one or two things left to knit aren't needed as gifts until this weekend!

And what a bowl game it was! Notre Dame beat Hawaii 49-21!! Go IRISH!! We've had a little self-imposed boycott of ESPN for the last few months (nothing nice to say about ND ever), but all I have to say is....take that Kirk Herbstreit and Mark Mays!

Yet, that wasn't the highlight of my day so far! Snowboarder and I exchanged our gifts today with family and wow!! He totally surprised me!!! Snowboarder gave me gorgeous diamond earrings!! Thanks sweetie!!!

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Where did last week go?! My goodness... I had just a thumb to finish last Tuesday on a pair of Toasty and it took me until last night to finish it (we're talking about 8 rows...maybe 15 stitches a row). I had a surprisingly draining week of work (typically things slow down just a wee bit), but last night it was official....

The Holidays have begun!!

I met Nartian at Purlescence for some holiday singing and knitting! It was exactly what I needed after a long week!

The holiday spirit was definitely in the air!

Look at that little cutie!!

There was also a special reading of How the Grinch Stole Christmas...

...with a visit from the Grinch and Cindy Lou Lou (I think!).

The rest of the weekend will be spent trying to finish the many Christmas gifts I still have to knit. I'm down to the list of very close family that, well, understand if they don't quite get a finished gift at Christmas. But still...who wants to spend January still knitting Christmas gifts! So I've trimmed the list and am knitting away!

Thanks for everyone who has generously donated this past week! You have until Christmas Eve morning to continue donating! Details...here...

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Back around Thanksgiving I had an idea for my Blogiversary contest. I thought, wouldn't it be nice to give back a little this year. I've been very blessed this year and I'm always reminded of that around the holidays. One way I could give back could involve donating some of my most favorite skeins of sock yarn as prizes. People could buy an entry into the contest by donating $5 through Knitters without Borders to Doctors Without Borders. And then I thought...nah. With my luck, only a few people would enter.

Mama Blue Simple Merino, color Siren

Fast forward to a week or so later when I did a different blogiversary contest. 98 comments! A first for my blog! And then the Yarn Harlot mentioned re-updating the Knitters without Borders donations on her blog. That did it. Let's give it a go, and heck, even if only 1/3 of those who commented during the first contest donated $5, that would be $150 more donated.

Wollmeise 100% Merino, color Versuchskaninchen 1

Stephanie's original post about Knitters without Borders is here. Donation instructions are detailed there. So here's where the prizes come in. For every $5 you donate, I will give you an entry in the contest (e.g., $5 = one entry, $10 = two entries, $15 = three entries....). After you donate, email me (irishgirlieknitsATgmailDOTcom) with the total amount you donated so that I can enter you (don't forget to email Stephanie too so that she can add the total to Knitters without Borders). You have until 9am PST on December 24, 2008 to donate and then I'll pick the winners that day! I'm counting donations made from the day of this post until 9am PST time on Dec. 24 (sorry, previous donations do not count).

Socks that Rock lightweight, color Rare Gems (swoon!)

Each skein of yarn is a prize (so right now, there are three prizes donated and if we get lots of entries/donations, well, you all know I have a pretty stash to search for more prizes). Feel free to tell your friends.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Dad, Rowan, the doggies, and I spent the day up in Folsom today with my brother, SIL, and lil' guy! I was able to give him his Santa Hat that I knit for him while I was in New Orleans last week.

I bribed him with a swing ride if he wore the hat. As soon as I said all done swing, he reached for the hat to take it off! hehehe

Lil' Guy and Boondock Saint (aka my brother)

Mommy kisses

Pa and the happiest lil' guy!

And while my sister drove us home, I just about finished another pair of Toasties. Seriously, everyone is getting fingerless gloves for Christmas. Well, everyone but me. But I'll have a pair by New Year's!

Friday, December 12, 2008

I know I am very blessed to have wonderful friends and family who appreciate my handknit gifts. Some knitters are not so lucky. My sister and Dad would be happy if all I ever gave them were handknit socks. I have the cutest nephew whose Mommy always has him wear the vests and sweaters and hats that Auntie Irishgirlie has made for him. Even my mom was caught wearing the socks I made her last year at this year's Thanksgiving dinner. Snowboarder. Well we all know he loves his hats.

And here lies the problem. Each year it has gotten harder and harder to put aside my socks and projects for me and start the holiday knitting. I think it has been three weeks since I last knit on a pair of socks intended for me. sigh. But, I look forward to Christmas, when I can cast on for me. However, what makes it especially hard, is when I knit something for someone else that I just can't bear to give away. I know I must (well, I guess I don't have to, but seeing as the holiday knitting deadline looms, well, you know, I probably should). But it is so very hard. I have come to realize that I may, just may, be a selfish knitter. And that makes me a bit sad.

Don't believe that smile in the picture. That gorgeous cowl and toasty mitts, knit out of the most heavenly Woobu, are not for me. I tried not to think about that as Snowboarder took my picture.

I tried not to think about my own fingerless gloves that are getting a bit worn.

So yes. I have admitted it now. I am a selfish knitter. But I will gift all the lovelies and my family and friends will enjoy them. However, I will be crying just a little bit on the inside.

Sincerely,The Selfish Knitter

P.S. Because I hope to not really become a selfish knitter (though actually, there is nothing wrong with it), come back this weekend to see how you can win these pretty lovelies below. That is correct. Your eyes do not deceive you. That is Mama Blue Simple Merino, Socks that Rock Rare Gems, and Wollmeise (in a name I just can't spell without the label in front of me). It will be for a good cause (I tell myself that so that I'm not sad that they will be leaving my stash).

My Plucky Knitter score from earlier this week!! I just love her Merino-Cashmere-Nylon sock blend....and the colors, well, that goes without saying!!

And some of my order from the Woolgirl Thanksgiving sale. I say some, because dad wanted me to pick out some yarn to go under the tree (gotta love dad!!). And Woolgirl packages things so nicely, my sister said, "Perfect. We don't even need to wrap it!" The above two are Miss Babs Yummy fingering, in Spice and Coventry!

And these pretties?! Well, one of them is for one of my lucky readers! There were 98 blogiversary comments!! Wowee!! Thank you all so much for your kind words!! This blog wouldn't be the same without you!!! The lucky winner is......

Nat and I started reading each other's blogs back in January during the Stash Down Knit-a-Mile from stash challenge! I think I better start thinking about that again.....knitting from the stash!!!

Congratulations Nat!! I couldn't decide on which STR you would like, so let me know if you'd like Jingle Bell Rocks in mediumweight or Hollyday in lightweight! I love them both!! I'll be sending a few other goodies along with your yarn! Email me you address so I can get this to you right away!

And for those who didn't win this time.....check the blog later this week.... I have another idea for a pretty yarn giveaway!

Monday, December 1, 2008

Today I am celebrating my 2 year Blogiversary!! And all I can think of is how many blessings this blog has brought me. Particularly, you. My friends. This past year I had the chance to meet so many of you, to get to know some of you better, and some who will always have a very special place in my heart. Thank you.

To celebrate, let's have a contest!! I'll pick one winner to give lots of yarny goodness to! All you need to do is leave a comment. Any comment. You can tell me about one of your favorite blogging memories, about a favorite blog, or why you knit. You can tell me what you'd like to see more of on my blog. Or things you like about the blogs you read. Or you can tell me why you love socks that rock (hehehehehe....doesn't everyone?!). Tell me what you are knitting or what you so want to knit once the holiday knitting is complete.

I'm off to New Orleans on Wednesday for work. This will be a quick and busy trip, so I'll pick the winner Sunday when I come back. Feel free to leave a comment until Sunday, Dec. 7, at noon PST.

Thank you all for reading and sharing and being part of the fabulous knitting community that I so cherish!

Happy Blogiversary!!!

xoxo Irishgirlieknits

p.s. Those of you who remember Rowan's, aka Irishdaisy's, pink and white scarf from last year's Blogiversary. Yeah. Not done. Maybe I'll just finish it for her.